A Celebration of Life Service to honor the life and legacy of Mary A. Anderson, age 85, of Windom, will be held Thursday, July 25th at 11:00 a.m. at the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center in Windom with Pastor Kurt Trucksess officiating. Burial will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Windom.

A time of visitation and gathering will be held on Wednesday, July 24th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center in Windom. Visitation will continue Thursday for one hour prior to the service at the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center in Windom. The service will be livestreamed on the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center Facebook page. Memorial gifts are preferred to Billy Graham Evangelistic Association or Cross Winds Church in Spirit Lake, Iowa.

Mary Alice (Hartzell) Anderson was a blessing born to Earl and Gladys Lydia (Melby) Hartzell on September 18, 1938, in Marshall, Minnesota. She was baptized after receiving Christ as her Savior. Mary grew up in Lynd, Minnesota, where she attended grade school and high school. After high school, Mary went to work with Bell Telephone Co. at Redwood Falls, Minnesota, and then to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

On October 1, 1960, Mary was united in marriage to Philip J. Anderson. The couple was blessed with six children, Alan, Angela, Janet, Robert, Paul and Christopher. The family lived for about seven years in Luverne, Minnesota, before moving to Windom, Minnesota, which became their forever home. Mary worked until the birth of their first child, and then she stayed home to care for her children. Mary and Phil loved that their children could come home from school to a mom who loved them and often had treats and goodies prepared when they arrived home from school. Mary lived her favorite bible verse from Psalm 118:24 "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Mary was a member of the Windom Evangelical Free Church for 40 years, and she served as co-chair for the Hospitality Committee for many years. Mary was also an AWANA member for several years. For the past eight years, she worshiped with the New Beginnings fellowship group in Windom, which partnered with CrossWinds Church (EFCA) in Spirit Lake. In addition to her community service, she was a wonderful seamstress. She sewed curtains and drapes for many years and did alterations for the "Stag Clothiers" after the children were out of the nest. She also loved quilting and made many quilts. Mary was always active. She loved bowling on a team league in Luverne and Windom and bowled in the State Tournament several times.

Mary had the opportunity to travel to France and England in the summer of 1997 with her sister, Diane, and nephew, Josh, on a school sponsored trip from Carrington, North Dakota. She also traveled to Japan in December 2007 to visit Missionary friends, Roger and Monica Totman, and was able to experience the Christmas Holiday season in the Far East.

Mary was diagnosed with COPD several years ago. For the past year, she had been a resident at the Good Samaritan Sogge Memorial, after struggling with dementia for the past three years. On Sunday, July 21st she was welcomed Home to Heaven.

Left to cherish her beloved memory are her husband of 64 years, Philip J. Anderson of Windom; children, Angela (Bob) Bergendahl of Sioux City, IA, Janet (Lee) Lensegrav of Sioux Falls, SD, Robert E. Anderson II of Sioux Falls, SD, Paul J. Anderson of Jefferson, SD, and Christopher J. (Dana) Anderson of Windom; daughter-in-law, Daiana Gomes Anderson of Osakis, MN; grandchildren, Benjamin Munning, Kami (Matt) Weber, Callie Lensegrav, Hannah Anderson, Heather Lensegrav, and Nolan Anderson; sister, Diane (John) Richards of Alexandria, MN; brothers, Robert (Kay) Hartzell of Leadville, CO, and Deane (Connie) Hartzell of Nashville, TN; sisters-in-law, Phyllis Hartzell of Castle Rock, CO and Marlene Hartzell of North Branch, MN; as well as many relatives and dear friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her son, Alan P. Anderson on August 8, 2023; parents, Earl and Gladys Hartzell; stepfather, Lester Fields; brothers, Donald Hartzell and Richard Hartzell; and brother-in-law, Warren Jamison.

Blessed be the everlasting memory of Mary A. Anderson.